Embodiments of the invention relate generally to telecommunications and, more particularly, to a method, system, and storage medium for providing comprehensive facsimile information within a voicemail system.
Voicemail systems currently provide the ability to allow system users to receive facsimile transmissions in addition to voicemail messages. A sender of the facsimile enters the voicemail subscriber's general telephone number, whereby the incoming call is forwarded to the subscriber's voicemail using standard call forwarding services such as ‘busy’, ‘no answer,’ and ‘unconditional.’ Alternatively, the sender may be given a direct number to reach the voice mailbox without relying on call forwarding. In either case, the facsimile is stored at the voicemail platform and then associated with the subscriber's voice mailbox. When the subscriber checks the voice mailbox for new messages, he/she is notified that a facsimile has arrived. The notification includes limited information such as the date, time, and sometimes the number of pages in the facsimile. For various reasons, the subscriber oftentimes desires more specific information about the facsimile before making a determination of when or if the message will be accepted.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a facsimile recipient with sufficient information about an incoming facsimile, within the context of a voicemail system, without requiring that the recipient first open or print the facsimile.